


Mac Versus The Intersect

by TeamImprov



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016) Whump, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Intersect AU, Protective Jack Dalton (MacGyver 2016), Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27584065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamImprov/pseuds/TeamImprov
Summary: On Mac's birthday, he is sent a mysterious email from his father - James MacGyver - who he hasn't seen or heard from in fifteen years. After he opens the email, a super computer called The Intersect is downloaded into his brain putting Mac and the rest of Team Phoenix in more danger than ever before.
Comments: 41
Kudos: 25





	Mac Versus The Intersect

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the TV show Chuck.

“See, birthdays ain’t so bad, man.” 

Mac smiled, staring intently into the fire, as he took another swig from his beer. The party had long since died down, which, honestly, Mac was secretly grateful for. That didn’t mean he wasn’t grateful to his team for putting the party together, he honestly didn’t know how they got so many people to come, but he never liked the spotlight. He wasn’t big on attention or standing out from the crowd - all the things his friends had sworn birthdays were all about. 

No, birthdays tended to remind him that he was alone. On his tenth birthday, his dad left, and he didn’t have a mom anymore, so for the first time it felt like he was truly on his own. His grandfather was there, and so was Bozer, but a kid just needs his parents. Especially on his birthday.

Even though he was a full-fledged adult, and he had a new family - one he had found all on his own - deep down he was still that little boy sitting on the steps waiting for his father to come back. 

“You okay, there, dude?” Jack asked softly, leaning closer. “You seem a million miles away.”

Mac shook himself of his sadness, the specific kind that always followed him through this day, and had to avert his eyes when he felt Jack’s calloused hand on his shoulder - strong and protective. 

“I know it sucks, what happened when you turned ten, but you’re not alone anymore. You have me, and Bozer, and Riley, and even Matty here with you. We ain’t going nowhere. You’re stuck with us for good whether you like it or not.”

“Thanks, Jack.” Mac huffed out a thick laugh before clearing his throat. He blamed the soot from the firepit for the burning sensation in his eyes. “That means a lot.” 

“I know it does, man.” Jack said, squeezing his shoulder lightly. “I know it does.” 

“I think I’m going to help Boz clean up the mess and then I’m gonna sleep for a week.” Mac could feel the weariness washing over him in waves. It was the kind of tired born from days of little to no sleep and a lot of stress. He could feel his mind slipping in and out of microsleep which was giving him the dual sensations of floating just outside his body and falling from a great height. He knew as soon as his head hit the pillow that was it. Even the thought of it was making him tired. Thankfully, Matty had promised them no missions until the team was well-rested. 

“Nuh-uh, Mac, no way.” Bozer chimed in from the doorway. “The birthday boy never cleans up his own party. It’s a sacred birthday rule and I will not let you break it.”

“Boz, that rule doesn’t make sense. I can help clean up.” Mac insisted. 

“I don’t think so, pal.” Jack added and Mac glared at the betrayal. “We just had two back to back missions plus a kick ass birthday party. I think we all deserve some well deserved rest and relaxation.”

“Jack,” Mac started but was cut off by a look from Jack that reminded him that he might not know what it was like to have a father but he certainly knew what it was like to have a dad. 

“No ifs, ands, or buts about it, kiddo.” Jack pushed himself to his feet and held out a hand for Mac to take. Mac set his beer down beside him and took the offered hand. He went lightheaded when Jack hoisted him to his feet but the older man didn’t let go until Mac had his feet securely under him - beer and exhaustion definitely didn’t mix. “You are dead on your feet and would probably only make the mess worse if we’re being honest. You’re going to bed, right now.” 

“Okay, okay.” Mac caved, he was too tired to argue anyway and they were making some pretty good points. “I'm going. You guys can stay the night if you want.” 

“Was already planning on it, bud.” Jack said, pushing him gently back inside. Mac yawned deeply as he stumbled into his bedroom. He didn’t realize how tired his muscles were until he closed the door and pulled off his clothes. He pulled on an old pair of sweats and an MIT t-shirt and let himself fall on top of the bed. He felt his whole body relax into the soft sheets as he pulled the comforter over his body, all the way up to his ears. 

He was a fraction of an inch away from sleep when he heard the first chim from his laptop. At first, he ignored it, and willed his mind to shut down enough for him to rest. 

But the chime persisted and rang out again, and again, and again until he had conceded to the reality that there would be no ignoring it. There was no use even trying to deny it any longer.

Mac sighed, before rolling onto his back, and heaving the blankets off his aching body. He dragged himself to his feet and over to his desk before lifting the screen of his laptop. 

The screen was blank. 

He pushed the power button but nothing happened. The charging cord was plugged in so he glanced at the plug on the wall but everything looked okay. The light on the charger was green. He pressed the power button a few more times and right as he was about to give up on the computer all together, formulating plans to have Riley check it over in the morning, the screen clicked on but now it was showing nothing but a blank, white background. 

Three little dots jumped to the middle of the screen, undulating as if something was downloading. 

Mac was more intrigued than anything, too sleep-deprived for trepidation, so he continued to watch as an email popped up on the blank screen. 

To: Angus MacGyver  
From: Dad  
Subject: Happy Birthday, Angus.

“Dad?” Mac asked out loud. He wasn’t sure if he would ever hear from his father again and now here he was with a birthday email from the man who abandoned him fifteen years ago. He wanted to call out for Jack, to have him there as he opened the email he had been waiting for since he was ten-years-old, but part of him knew he had to do it alone. 

Swallowing hard, heart hammering hard in his chest, he opened the email. 

The screen went black again, then white, and the three dots were back. They rolled across the screen for a full sixty seconds before clearing away. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANGUS. 

The words popped up on the screen so suddenly Mac jumped a little. The words disappeared and for a second Mac thought that might be it - a lot of fanfare for a simple birthday wish. Still, it was better than nothing, which was what he was way more accustomed to. But there was more.

I KNOW I CAN TRUST YOU.

Mac frowned at the new words, confused by their meaning. 

THEY FOUND ME. 

Mac froze, eyes wide as he waited for more. 

YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE I CAN TRUST TO PROTECT IT.

“Protect what?” Mac asked out loud, again. He knew it was useless to talk straight to the computer but he didn’t care. He felt himself drawing closer to the screen, needing to know more. 

MY LIFE’S WORK. PROTECT IT. KEEP IT SAFE. 

“What does that mean,” Mac asked. His father was a scientist, an inventor, what would he possibly need to give Mac for safe keeping? Who was after him? Nothing made sense. 

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT LET THEM TAKE IT FROM YOU. 

“I don’t know what you want, dad.” Mac whispered. This was not what he meant when he said he wanted to hear from his father. He didn’t understand why everything had to be in cryptic messages and clues. Even when he was a child it was like that. 

STAND BACK. WATCH THE SCREEN. DO NOT LOOK AWAY. 

Mac looked toward his bedroom door. He knew Jack, Bozer, and Riley were out there and he should bring them in, ask their opinion before he did anything. He should just close the laptop and leave well enough alone. His father had never done anything for him; why should Mac do anything now. 

But he had to. He knew he had to. So he took two steps back and stared at the screen. At first, nothing happened. Then the screen went blank once more. 

Nothing. 

For several seconds there was nothing, and then Mac’s brain was being bombarded by pictures. It felt like he was getting punched in the face with the force of them. 

The screen flicked through them so rapidly it made Mac nauseous but he didn’t look away. 

More accurately, he couldn’t look away. As hard as he tried, it felt like his eyeballs were glued to the screen. He couldn’t turn his head or even close his burning eyes. 

The pictures weren’t just flashing on the screen anymore they were running through his head, swirling around his brain. He heard things, too. A gunshot, a baby crying, an air raid siren, laughter, a scream - each sound accompanied by the blur of the images flashing in front of his eyes. 

It seemed to go on forever but Mac was in a trance. All he could do was stare as his brain was consumed by the images, the sounds. He had no sense of time, no sense of day - no sense of anything. It just went on and on and on until the roll of images finally came to an abrupt end and the screen went black for a final time. 

Mac was still stuck there, staring at the screen, unable to move or scream as his skull felt like it was going to shatter. 

He heard the cry of pain escape him as the final words popped up on the screen but by then his vision was already fading. He was falling backwards, the air forced from his lungs when he landed hard on his back, and Jack was crashing through his door. 

“Mac, what’s wrong? What happened?” Jack’s voice was frantic but Mac couldn’t respond. All he could see were the remnants of the flashing images, hear the echoes of the sounds, as the final text seemed to be braided across his eyelids. 

I AM SO SORRY, SON. 

He couldn’t respond to Jack, his head rolling to the side as he lost consciousness. The last thing he was aware of before losing himself to the dark was the sound of his computer exploding. Pieces rained down over them as smoke billowed from the ruined machine. 

Jack’s voice continued to fade away before finally the darkness claimed him. 

To Be Continued.


End file.
